Deep fine tuning in my faith. I share for those who may be blessed but do not be discouraged if you don’t relate. I would call this a very deep work in my own heart, I share in case it speaks to someone else as well.

As I was doing my devotionals this morning, I was particularly blessed and challenged. I love that about the Word, He blesses me and challenges me on most days.

1 Peter 1 starts with “To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, ² according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood:

May grace and peace be multiplied to you.”

Did you catch the conditionals of this verse? This letter is directed to those who are submitted to the sanctifying presence of the Holy Spirit, living in the knowledge and revelation as their identity of those sprinkled clean by the blood of Christ and not their own good works and in obedience to Christ. All that to say, when I catch distinct glimpses of the Lord sanctifying my thinking, my actions, my life, I am so thankful for His faithfulness and dedication to washing me cleaning and purifying my life.

I received your typical social media post yesterday. A picture of a person smiling, holding up something they were particularly pleased about… and today I find myself still feeling grieved by this very common, every normal event. So I have been asking God what about this image has been troubling me for 24 hours. LOL. Then I had the image of some photos I personally took and shared 2 days ago. I took some photos of the gardens I have been working on up here. Then I realized God was wanting to talk to me about something I had done this week.

Here is the thing. God doesn’t like boasting.

“²⁹ They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, ³⁰ slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, ³¹ foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.” Romans 1:29-31English Standard Version

“³⁰ And because of him^[a] you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, ³¹ so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:30-31

^“I have applied all these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers,^[a] that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another. ⁷ For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?” 1 Corinthians 4:6-8

These verses started coming to my mind. I encourage you to do a word study by typing in “brag” “boast” etc in a search engine like Biblegateway.com and seek out the many verses that speak to this topic.

Here is what I had running through my mind, why do I take pride in the works of my hands etc when every talent, every gift, every ability I have is a gift from God. How foolish would it be for the paint brush to take credit for the masterpiece instead of merely being delighted to partake of expression the master creator? The answer is, I musn’t and must ask for His help His help in discerning it when I start to follow this well established, broad path, so easy to walk down way of the world.

I am always thinking of how to impart these things to my kids, and how deeply it must impact them and how quickly and easily they will “follow” in the foolish ways of this world so when I catch a glimpse of these sneaky snares, barely perceived traps of the enemy to note them down, meditated on them and repent and set up a guard against their appearance in my life.

Practically speaking, what could this look like.

I realized my delight in the garden is a true and genuine God given gift. If I zoom in and take a picture of a single plant, and meditate on the marvel and amazing detail that embellishes every part of His glorious creation. I have the privilege of walking through the most extraordinary art gallery, science and technology museum, innovation center every day. All of creation is a testament to Our God.

Here is what I love about being in the garden. I love to ponder the mystery of a seed, especially the ones that are so tiny and yet the finished plant is just so big, so complex, so lovely and often times delights my other sense like smell, taste and touch. I take deep satisfaction in a well watered, well tended garden. This brings me back to meditating on the biblical imagery of God being the master gardener of my life, this encourages me to submit to His hand of pruning, his care in weeding out the profane and worldly things that would crowd out the glorious and abundant fruit of the Kingdom to come out of my life. It reminds me that there was not a single weed in His original design, not a blemish, just beauty and provision. Every time I water a plant, I marvel that in the beginning the ground itself watered the everything perfectly. I can direct every thought to praise and worship and thanksgiving…. I pray that someday, all my thoughts will go there normally, supernaturally and consistently without my needing to direct them there so intentionally.

I am encouraged in all things to give all the glory, all the praise, all the credit to my Lord and marvel especially at the immense mercy, grace, wisdom, ability to look at the diamond in the rough and see the gleeming jewel of His finished work, to see past the goopey mess of the sin that entered in at my conception and see only the pure and glorious beauty of His design. Every gift and talent I have is a gift from My creator. May I live every every day in praise and wonder at His Goodness towards me. In Jesus Christ’s name I pray with my whole being.

http://webstersdictionary1828.com/Dictionary/brag

“BRAG, verb intransitive [Eng. to brag ]

To boast; to display one’s actions, merits or advantages ostentatiously; to tell boastful stories; followed by of; as, to brag of a good horse, or of a feat.

To brag on is vulgar; indeed the word itself is become low, and is not to be used in elegant composition.

BRAG, noun A boast, or boasting; ostentatious verbal display of one’s deeds, or advantages; the thing boasted.

Spenser has used this word as an adverb for proudly.

Boast

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“BOAST, verb intransitive [Gr. to inflate; Latin fastus.]

1. To brag, or vaunt one’s self; to make an ostentatious display, in speech, of one’s own worth, property, or actions.

2. To glory; to speak with laudable pride and ostentation of meritorious persons or things.

I boast of you to them of Macedonia. St. Paul. 2. Cor.9.

Usually, it is followed by of; sometimes by in.

3. To exalt one’s self.

With your mouth you have boasted against me. Ezek.

BOAST, verb transitive To display in ostentatious language; to speak of with pride, vanity or exultation, with a view to self-commendation.

Lest men should boast their specious deeds.

1. Magnify or exalt.

They boast themselves in the multitude of their riches. Psalms 49:6.

2. To exult in confident expectation.

BOAST not thyself of tomorrow. Proverbs 27:1.

BOAST, noun Expression of ostentation, pride or vanity; a vaunting.

Thou makest thy boast of the law. Romans 2:17

1. The cause of boasting; occasion of pride, vanity, or laudable exultation.

Trial by peers is the boast of the British nation.”